The Day of Fools
by 157 yrs
Summary: Due to a mysterious accident that left her crippled, Kel is forced to retire early as a knight. Eager to cast her aside, a secret new enemy with influence over the Crown, orders Kel to wed her hated enemy, Joren - who entraps her in a loveless marriage.
1. The Affair

Disclaimer: Tamora Pierce is the sole owner of any characters encountered in this writing piece.

**_Prologue_**

"_We can't keep doing this, Cleon. It's wrong." Kel whispered quietly in between hushed kisses. Cleon grunted in anger and moved to wrap his arms around her._

"_I don't care. This isn't right and you know it." He bit out in frustration as he covered Kel's face in small kisses. Kel smiled bitterly and tried to lead Cleon out of the library, but to no avail._

"_He doesn't even want you. It's been two years and I'll bet he hasn't even touched you yet." Cleon continued in a harsh whisper as his fingers inched towards the hem of Kel's tunic. _

"_Well then," Came a much louder, and familiar cold voice. Both Cleon and Kel broke apart simultaneously, shocked to find that they had an audience. To Kel's horror and Cleon's anger, it was none other than Joren._

_His eyes icy blue eyes were blazing with anger and his nearly white hair was tousled. He was standing across from them near the stairway, which meant that he had been there the whole time. His arms were crossed and even from the distance that they stood, Kel knew that he was livid._

"_...I'll just have to change that." Joren snarled nastily, His gaze swept over Cleon to glare venomously at Kel. Cleon moved to stand in front of her protectively._

"_Oh, no you won't. Kel doesn't want you and you don't want her. Why should you care all of a sudden who she's with?" Cleon demanded in the same tone as Joren marched over to them in three quick strides._

"_Because she belongs to me and I will not be made a fool in my own house!" He roared and then punched Cleon in the mouth. Kel stepped back, undecidable. Her Yamani – blank look was on her face, but her heart was torn. She desperately wanted to defend Cleon but to do so would disgrace both her and Joren's families who had legally paired the two. Aside from that, she didn't know how much good she could do, since she hadn't trained much because her shoulder was still damaged.  
_

_Warily she watched Joren as he took a blow to his head while he strangled Cleon. The two continued on until one point they got to the door where Joren dragged Cleon out by the hair. All went silent on the inside of the estate and Kel was left with a messy room full of broken furniture and random debris to clean up._

_The ringing in her ears did not stop and an usually cold sensation overwhelmed her until she was numb. Stiffly she rose, but with what purpose she did not know. Were they both outside still? Maybe she could confront them._

_With that hope in mind, Kel exited the library and went to turn towards the door. However, she was stopped short when someone punched her in her right templed. The blow was hard and sent her staggering, but she made sure to stay on her feet. When her vision cleared, Kel saw that it was Joren in all of his self righteous anger._

"_Where's Cleon?" She demanded, preparing her stance for a fight. She never got passed her question, as Joren punched her hard in the gut and sent her staggering back into the library. To her dismay, she fell backwards and before she could stand back up, Joren rammed into her forcing the wind from her lungs and pinned her down._

_Kel fought off a dizzy spell, as her vision threatened to darken. They were both breathing hard._

"_Look at me." He finally demanded in a quiet, dangerous voice once his breathing was under control. Kel blinked a couple times but when she did not comply, he gripped her chin roughly. His eyes had cooled back into an untouchable ice._

"_I said look at me!" He repeated through gritted teeth. Kel narrowed her eyes with no other choice than to obey. His face was so close to her that their noses were in danger of touching and not for the first time, Kel wondered if he was going to kiss her or attempt some other atrocity.  
_

"_I don't want to to hear you ever mention his name again, got that?" He demanded and then abruptly stood up, yanking Kel to her feet in the process._

"_The only reason he is alive right now is because the king has need of him but if I ever see you with him again I won't hesitate." He threatened darkly, squeezing Kel's biceps for good measure. Kel shook out of his grip easily only to be punched in the nose. She grunted angrily and stepped away from him. Joren sneered._

"_If I am correct, a marriage is a union of intimacy between two people – not three." He spat the words out as if they were beneath him. Kel forced herself to become like stone, though it was harder than usual._

"_Last I recalled your parents didn't marry you off to that big dolt, they married you off to me." He snarled at her. When Kel refused to respond – for as much as she hated to admit it, all he said was true – Joren looked around the library with disdain._

"_Clean it up." He demanded crossly and turned to leave. Grateful for his departure, Kel sunk to her knees to begin her chore, no matter how humiliating it was._

"_By the way," Joren added, turning in the doorway._

"_If there is ever a need for such...intimacy," Kel inwardly cringed at his choice of words, while Joren eyed her doubtfully._

"_You should remember that such duties are only for your husband. If I find you with another man again, your fate will be worse than his."He threatened angrily and then strode quickly from the room, leaving Kel with the broken pieces of the day's events all over the floor._


	2. The Mother

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in the following pages_

_Kel looked tenderly at the little bundle in her arms. The thought of being a mother had not originally been a welcoming aspect. Thankfully time had changed that. It was lonely in the manor being surrounded only by servants. Her family was so far away and with the war, visits had been scarce. _

_The birthing had taken three day. It had been exhausting but it had been worth it. _

"_Lady Keledry, your husband has returned." A servant interrupted softly. Kel looked up with a neutral expression. Of all the times..._

_Asking if he was still alive would have the been the wrong response. She knew of his honorable discharge after hearing that he had been wounded in action. Eventually he would have had to return although Kel had done all she could to push those thoughts aside._

"_Thank you. Please tell him my whereabouts." The servant bowed and left. Kel leaned back against the pillow and looked out the window. _

_It was selfish, but deep down she had hoped he had died in the war. After the king had summoned him to ninth battalion they had headed east. Communications were mysteriously lost seventh months ago. Although Kel had never felt the need to communicate anything to Joren when he left. _

_After his brutal night visit, Kel flinched at the memory, she had been grateful for his departure. Out of loyalty to the kingdom and her former comrades, she kept a close eye on the war. It wasn't fair that the war had taken Cleon and not Joren. Although she had learned long ago not to openly express such feelings._

"_So you were pregnant when I left." Came a slurred voice. Kel looked to the doorway, slightly surprised to see Joren in such a disarray._

_His head was wrapped in bandage that covered his right eye. His right arm was in a sling and he was leaning heavily on his left leg. _

"_Are you drunk?" She asked in response. Joren scowled deeply and walked carefully into the room. Once she had been able to look him in the eyes, but after he had all but raped her, that courage had disappeared. She was getting weak._

"_The doctor said the alcohol would help." His eyes traveled down to the tiny bundle asleep in her arms._

"_Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?" He demanded hotly. Kel clutched the baby tighter to her. They had never discussed children. She wasn't sure if he would hit her while she was holding the child or not._

"_Communications were cut off. I-"_

"_Silence." He demanded. How could she raise a child with a monster? _

_Kel studied him, calculating her chance of escaping with their child. He was drunk and wounded. She had supplies ready at her disposal. She knew the terrain well and she hadn't completely forgotten her survival training. War had tired him. He might not even be able to give chase-_

"_Is it a boy or a girl?" He demanded, walking stiffly closer to the front of the bed. Kel looked back down at the baby. His presence was nauseating. _

"_It's a boy. I named him Kai after my great grandfather." But Joren wasn't listening anymore._

"_A boy. I have a son." _

_Kel swallowed realizing that he would never let them escape._


	3. The Bed

Disclaimer: Tamora Pierce is the sole owner of the characters and places used in this writing

It had been five weeks and yet her womb still hurt and she was still bleeding at times. Kel grimaced as she re wrapped the bandages and then stepped back into her under dressings.

She thought about asking for a healer to be sent but then dismissed the idea. Childbirth wasn't an ordinary pain that knights had to worry about, but then again, the Yamani women dealt with such burdens of pain all the time with no complaint.

It was a cold night, but she just couldn't bring herself to put her sleeping garments on so she settled for a fleece robe.

Aside from woman pains, her left shoulder was also acting up. Kai was a fussy baby. Kel was too afraid to leave him alone, so she had to settle for carrying him around. The extra weight was doing murder on her bad shoulder.

Kel left the baths and made her way to the bed room. She was grateful to see her room already turned down for the night. Walking around the bed, she went into the side room to check on the baby.

The servants were too unreliable to take care of her son. Most of them were males who had never held a child in their lives. When she had requested for help they had all subtly pointed out that their job was to clean and cater, not wipe noses and rock children to sleep. It grated on her nerves how disrespectful and abrasive the servants were to her. While at the same time whenever Joren entered a room they were bowing and scraping.

Speaking of, when she entered the room she found the man leaning over their son's crib. Kai wasn't making any noise so she could only assume that he was asleep. Deciding that the moment wasn't worth interrupting, Kel quietly left.

Every few nights Joren would visit their son. She hadn't seen him hold the baby yet but she decided it was progress. He was still spitfire with her, but he hadn't hit her since his return. She could only hope that it would last.

Leaving the baby's door ajar, Kel dimmed the lamps and crawled into bed. It had been almost a year since Joren had "visited" her but the nightly terrors she had since then made it impossible for her to sleep without the light on. Thank the goddess that he slept in his study.

Kel turned over on her good shoulder and closed her eyes. It was effort to stay awake but she forced herself to wait and listen for Joren to leave. After about half an hour, she heard his footsteps leave Kai's room.

His right leg was still dragging in his walk.

She waited a little longer but she could still hear his breathing, an indication that he was still there. Sucking in a breath, Kel moved into a semi sitting position.

Joren was standing at the foot of her bed. His blue eyes blazed in calculation.

"What?" She demanded. Her voice came out a little more sour than she would have liked.

Joren sneered.

"I have decided to stay here for the night." He informed her nastily. His breath reeked of alcohol.

Alarmed, Kel brought her knees up to her chest as if to put a physical barrier between them.

"What?" She repeated, this time more in fear. She inwardly cursed herself for showing such a weakness, but it was impossible to hide.

Joren smiled, clearly enjoying her discomfort. He knew exactly what she was thinking about.

"You heard me. I'm staying here tonight." He drawled, tracing his left arm around the edge of the bed as he walked closer.

Kel inched towards the opposite side of the bed. She wished now that she had put a knife under her pillow. Warily she watched as he removed his shirt so that he was only wearing a pair of gray trousers as he slipped into bed.

Kel got out of bed at the same time that he slipped in.

Brief surprise flitted across Joren's face before his expression turned to irritation.

"I'm just going to sleep. Get into the bed." He told her lazily. Kel shook her head and backed towards the door. She may have looked like a coward but on the inside she was furious.

How dare he! This was her room.

She wanted to fight him like they used to in the page halls all those years ago, but in all honesty she wasn't sure who would win now.

Yes he was wounded but so was she. With those two factors evening out it probably would have been a fair fight if not for the fact that she was still suffering from birthing pains. Although she was shamed to do it, her best bet was to run. She could sleep in Kai's room or down the corridor.

"I said get into the bed." Joren said through grounded teeth. Kel turned to the door but Joren was faster than she gave him credit for.

His right arm wasn't completely healed but that didn't stop him from snatching a handful of her hair and yanking on it. Kel's head snapped backwards and while she was stalled, Joren took the time to clamp his other hand down on her bad shoulder.

Kel hissed. The pain was unbearable. Without realizing it, her knees buckled. Reflexively she brought her hand up to his in an attempt to pry it off but his grip was too strong. Her vision blackened. He wasn't going to let go.

_Crack_

"Stop!" She finally bit out.

Joren gave her shoulder one more cruel squeeze before releasing it. Kel was so dizzy from the pain that she offered no resistance when Joren threw her on the bed. Immediately she jumped up, intending to leave.

Joren snorted at her.

"Pitiful." Then he was pinning her to the bed.

"I said stay." His tone was full of warning. Exhaustion tugged at her body but an old terror in her chest kept her from staying down. She struggled against him.

_The lights were all out. She was asleep._

_The door slammed open and his blue eyes glowed in the dark like a demon._

_She was going to yell but he was so heavy that the wind was knocked out of her. _

_His mouth was crushing hers in a bruising kiss that drew too much blood. _

_She couldn't see. _

_He got one of her arms pinned but the other was trying to fight him off. _

_When punches didn't work she resorted to scratching and clawing and biting. _

_Her legs were locked down by his weight and he was laughing._

_There was the horrible sound of her clothes being ripped and then.... and then he was inside of her. _

_Kel screamed._

The baby was crying.

"Your acting no better than a sniveling child yourself." Joren snidely commented, as he toyed with a lock of her hair.

Kel head butted him. Joren cursed as the impact forced him off of her.

When he looked back up his eyes were aflame in anger.

Not bothering with words, Kel formed a fist with her right arm and swung it wildly at his face. Joren easily caught her fist and held it in a lock.

"You little fool." He taunted as he started to twist her arm. Bristling, Kel ducked and rammed into him using her left shoulder. Adrenaline blocked the immediate pain.

"Do you really think that you stand a chance?" He mocked letting go of her right hand so that he could wrap his arm around her waist.

"I'll kill you." He growled threateningly. Kel tried to push her weightt on him by using her legs but he was too strong. In retaliation he punched her in the ribs. Kel gasped but held back her cry.

"Do you like that?" He whispered with disturbing tenderness.

Again she pushed her legs forward. Joren punched her harder and something literally snapped inside of her. She was forced to relax in his hold.

Joren was breathing heavily. When he saw that she had submitted, he let her out of his hold. Kel's trained reflexes kept her from dropping to the floor.

They were both out of breath.

Kai started to cry louder.

Kel turned to the side room. Joren's presence was burning a hole in her mind. Leaning heavily she walked past him.

"You wretch." He hissed in disgust as he took a step towards her.

Without thinking she whirled on her heels and threw a fast one at his face. His nose made a satisfying crunch when her fist connected with it. The sound echoed off the walls.

His blue eyes looked at her with malice as he held up his hands to his nose in an effort to stop the blood that began to run out. In all the excitement of their struggles, Kel's robe and come lose at the top. Modestly, she pulled up the lining and re wrapped it.

"Why bother? It's not like your hiding anything I haven't seen already." He taunted. Kel froze.

"Kai needs me." She told him hoarsely. Straitening, she winced at the sharp pain in her ribs. At least one of them was broken. Her body was in shreds... but Joren's nose was broken. For the first time in a long time she felt good.


	4. The Autumn Festival

Disclaimer: Tamora Pierce is the owner of the Protector of the Small Quartet 

"What's your name?" Kel asked a near bye servant as she changed the baby's underlings. The servant in question was a young girl, perhaps a few years younger than her. She had short, light brown hair and a tiny waist. She stood at Kel's shoulders.

"Me?" The servant asked, slightly startled. Kai grunted, unhappy that his mother's attention had turned away from him. Kel looked back down at her son and smiled.

"Yes. I've been here for nearly a year and I still don't know anyone's names." Or befriended any one for that matter, she mentally added.

The girl hurried to the door.

"I'm sorry my lady, but I'm just a servant." The girl gave a quick curtsy and left.

Kel sighed. She had tried similar tactics with other servants and yet it always ended the same. She wasn't sure what kind of spell Joren had cast over his workers but all of them seemed to avoid her. Half of them stuck up their nose at her, while the other half seemed terrified of her. Talk was simple and to the point. Other than that, she was ignored.

"Well, at least I have you." She whispered to her son. Kai smiled.

In the month that had followed his birth he had already grown a shocking full head of hair. It was a dark, - darker even than hers – raven brown. Kel had little chance to venture out into the sun since her injury and the result had turned her golden brown hair a much darker shade. It gave her comfort to know that her son had inherited it from her. His eyes, well they were another matter.

Kel walked over to the window.

The summer was almost over. Soon the weather would grow cold and it would make it all the more impossible for her to leave the manor. It was so inviting outside. It was cooling down, but to a pleasant degree. The autumn festival grounds were near here. It was such a shame that Joren had 'expressed' his displeasure when she had requested to walk outside the manor walls.

She was in no mood to fight him again. At least not until her broken rib healed.

Looking to the side, her eyes caught hold of the window's curtain. It was a vibrant shade of brown with a lighter tan pattern bordering the trim. Kel smirked, thinking of a certain outfit in her wardrobe that matched it perfectly.

Impulsively, she ripped it off the rod.

"I'll be right back." She told her son and then went to her room. A few minutes later she came back in, wearing a brown skirt and white blouse. Around her torso was a small, makeshift hammock made up from the curtain. It tied around her good shoulder and crossed down to the opposite side of her ribs. It was meant to be a carrier for Kai.

Gingerly, she lifted the baby into the curtain.

"There now. I've seen plenty of Yamani women do this trick." She assured him. Kai laughed and it did her heart good and strengthened her courage against Joren's soon to be wrath.

"You'll love the autumn festival. They travel around all of Tortall this time of year. We're in luck that they're near bye right now."

Kel walked quietly out of the room. She didn't want any servants to see them. She wasn't sure how they would react. It was just her luck that her sleeping quarters were on the fifth floor. Kel clenched her teeth. So many flights of stairs! And her stomach was still recovering...

She sighed when they left the corridor. Quietly, she opened the door to the servant's stairs. They were smaller than the stairs she was used to using, but they were discrete and out of sight. It was less likely that Joren would catch them.

Kel looked down and fought back a fearful gulp. She had to be careful not to tear her stomach open again. She had just stopped bleeding a few nights ago.

Carefully, she took her first step and then she took another. It was going to take forever if she went at such a sow speed. Just then, one of the doors to a higher floor opened and slammed shut. Kel could hear hushed voices and footsteps as whoever it was began to descend down the stairs.

Taking the initiative, Kel sped up. Two at a time and sometimes three she jumped step after step. It took everything within her to be gentle with Kai and keep him soothed and quiet. When she made it to the bottom she wasn't at all surprised to find that she had started bleeding again. Thankfully, she was already wearing an extra cloth in her under dressings as a precaution.

Silently, she opened the door to the basement corridor. It would be best if she slipped out of the cellar, assuming that she didn't run into any servants. The basement was their sleeping quarters.

It looked like she was going to make it. Kel headed down the long hall. It was always dim in the basement and so it would be harder for people to recognize her or at east she hoped.

The door was in sight. Just a little further -

"My lady?" An aghast voice called. Startled, Kel spun around only to find an elderly, male servant staring at her in shock.

"Y-yes?" She asked, trying to act indifferent.

"What – what are you – do you need any assistance?" The man stuttered. Kel forced herself to stand him down.

"I'm just taking Kai to the autumn festival. It only comes once a year and I really enjoy the carpenter market. They have such lovely bows..." The servant was gaping at her. Kel sighed and turned to go.

"Well, if that's all."

"Lord Joren will not approve of this." The servant finally bit out. Kel shrugged.

"Lord Joren doesn't need to find out." She retorted calmly but bluntly. The servant watched her leave with an unfathomable look.

Kel felt much better once they got outside. The sun was shining and the sky was a rich blue. The farther away she got from the manor, the happier she became. It was no wonder Joren wanted her locked inside. Outside, she was tempted never to come back.

The only thing dampening her mood was the shocked looks she was getting from the servants. It was almost eerie the way they all stopped to watch her.

Deciding it would be best to take a carriage or ride horseback, Kel made her way to the stable. Kai cooed in delight at the sight of the many horse in Joren's possession. They could have carried an army.

"My lady?" Asked a surprised coachman. Kel fought back a groan. Not this again.

"If you please. We are headed to the autumn festival. Could you lend us a coach?" She asked politely but even before she finished the coachman was shaking his head vividly.

"I'm sorry my lady, but that just isn't possible. Lord Joren has made it perfectly clear that you are not to-"

"-Oh just forget it." Kel interrupted. Her face remained stoic but her voice was filled with venom. The coachman jumped in surprise.

"We'll just set out on foot." And then she quickly left before he decided to stop her. She was sure she could take him on individually and perhaps even with a little help. But more than that and she was sure to lose.

Quickly they left the barn. Kai was bright and alert to the new sounds and sights around him. His weight and her exerted movement were starting to weigh her down. Already her bad shoulder was throbbing and she was out of breath. Every time she tried to take in a gulp of air her broken rib protested. Her stomach was aching with woman pains. Anyone else would have turned back but the her resolve hardened.

All around her servants were staring and whispering to another. Kel did her best to ignore them. She was almost at the gate that divided Joren's land from the main road. It helped that the manor was on a hill and the pathway from it and to the gate was down hill. The momentum aided her in her walk.

To soon though she began to hear horses hooves as multiple ones galloped her way. At first she thought that it was her own steps making the noise but the horses whinnys and the men's shouts put her imagination to rest.

Their sound alone told her that she was outnumbered and that it would be foolish to run. Her face was blank and her posture was calm when six men in guard uniforms came out from behind and circled her so that she had no where to turn.

"Good day, gentlemen." She greeted. No one replied.

After a minute, a burley man with a scrawny,wrinkled face came forward. He was an ugly man and he had a distinctly unpleasant smell.

"Lady Keledry. Lord Joren has appointed me to escort you safely back to the manor." The man told her roughly. Kel surrendered quietly and allowed the man to place her and the baby on his horse. If she fought, she would put Kai in unnecessary danger.

The ride back to the manor was over too quickly and before she knew it, Kel was standing in front of the manor's main entrance. The burley man stood directly behind her, making it impossible for her to leave.

She had to all but force herself to open the doors and once she did, she wished she hadn't. For not a hair's width a way stood Joren looking like the devil himself had possessed him.

"Nice to see that you have returned." He said in a voice dead of emotion. Kel knew as she faced him down, there was hell to pay.


	5. The Beating

Disclaimer: Tamora Pierce is the owner of the Protector of the Small Quartet 

Kel jumped slightly when Joren leaned forward threateningly. Kai began fuss and only then did Joren look down at his son. Kel stroked the baby's cheek both to sooth him and out of gratitude that he had unknowingly protected her from Joren's attack.

However, that didn't stop him from roughly grabbing her by the forearms and pulling her into the manner. The jerk on her arm started to irritate her bad shoulder but Joren refused to relent. He remained silent.

When he did finally pull her in to the main lobby, the burley man behind her followed and closed the doors. Kel remained calm. He was going to hurt her, no doubt about it, but she wasn't going to go down without a fight. Maybe she could hurt him too.

He was breathing heavily, and indication that he was mad.

Before he could speak however a slender woman, about the same age as Kel, gracefully came towards them. She was shorter than Kel and looked much more delicate. Her hair was a beautiful blond, perhaps a shade darker than Joren's and pinned up in a stylish bun. Her eyes too, nearly matched Joren's in their icy blueness.

The woman was wearing an evening gown in a style that revealed far too much skin and wavered on being inappropriate for the fall season. In her hair, on her neck, and around her waist and wrists shone many chains of silver and gold with gems to compliment them.

"Well, I can see you are busy here. I will take my leave now, Joren." Was all she said. Kel wasn't acknowledged at all. Who was she?

Joren said nothing until he heard the woman's footsteps fade and the door open and then finally close as she departed.

"It's nice to see that you were taking good care of my son. I should have known that as soon as I turned my back you would try to escape." He snarled. Kel started to protest but before she could Joren punched her hard in the mouth.

"Shut up!" He threatened. She was so surprised that he had hit her while holding Kai that she had no time to block it. The force of his attack was powerful enough that it sent her staggering and woke up Kai in the process. Immediately, he started to wail in distress.

"Roamas, take him." Joren commanded irritatingly. The burly man came forward then and plucked the baby from Kel's arms. For a moment she was worried but then she realized the Joren would never harm a baby, well at least his heir. The man – Roamas – was headed towards the grand stair case, and she guessed that Kai was being taken back to his room where he would be safe.

"I wasn't going to run away." She finally got out, finding her mental bearing. Joren scoffed.

"We were only going down the road to the Autumn Festival." She argued, ducking when Joren tried to hit her again.

"Liar!" He hissed. Kel spun with a knight's speed and rammed the back of her ankle into the hip joint in Joren's bad leg, where he had been injured. Unlike her, he had been seeing a healer, so she had no way of knowing how vulnerable he still was.

Her question was answered when Joren toppled over with a sputter of curses.

She thought he was down for the count but he surprised her by whirling on the floor and grabbing both of her legs out from under her.

A startled cry escaped her lips as she too fell to the floor and not for the first time she wished she knew where he had hidden her glaive and other weapons. She could sure use them right now.

"You idiot. You stupid woman." He growled, Kel rammed her knee up into his gut but to her dismay he was still wearing his chest plate of armor. The attack did more harm to her knee than it did to him. Kel forced back a groan as Joren fought to pin her to the floor. His position would have been erotic if his eyes didn't scream murder.

"Do you think you can continue to defy me." He asked wildly, as he took hold of her head and slammed it into the stone floor in the lobby. Kel's eyes flickered with bright specks and vaguely, she was aware that servants had gathered around to watch. Some watched in fear while others watched with pity.

"You dirty wench. Filthy, dishonorable woman." He yelled, slamming her head again into the floor.

The 'smack' sound her skull made upon impact echoed throughout the lobby.

Joren crawled off of her.

Kel couldn't see anything. Her head was spinning and the rest of her body felt like loose sand.

She heard her husband shuffle as he tried to stand on his bad leg and imagined servants rushing to his side to help him.

"Someone, get her out of here." She heard his voice dripping with contempt and then Kel felt hands on either side of her gripping her forearms and pulling her somewhat up. She thought they would carry her back to her room but instead they dragged her and she realized distantly that this was there own way of punishing her for her defiance.

As her world began to fade into unconsciousness, Kel wondered why Joren never used any of his knight's weapon on her when they fought. It would certainly end things much quicker if he had...


	6. The Dreams

Disclaimer: Tamora Pierce is the owner of the Protector of the Small Quartet 

_She dreamed of Cleon and his kisses. She knew he was dead but in her dream he came back to life to see her. He was holding her in his arms._

"_Oh, you've come back to me." She said in wonder. Cleon laughed and kissed his way up her jaw line to her ear. When he reached it, he whispered into it._

"_I never really left you." Kel began to cry. Reality kept her composed at all times but in her dreams she was free. _

"_I've missed you so much." She confessed as Cleon kissed away her tears._

"_Why haven't you come to my grave yet?" He asked her tenderly. Kel shook her head._

"_I wasn't... he wouldn't..." Her voice died as Cleon began to fade away._

"...could have killed...in pain? Look, her tears."

"Shall we send for a healer my lord?"

"No, not yet..."

"But my lord -"

"- Get out of my sight!"

The voices hurt her head so she went under again.

_She was back in the trial Chamber. She was still a squire._

"_Foolish! Foolish Girl!" It cursed her. Suddenly a great wind came and spun her around to and fro._

"_Not finished! Not finished!" The chamber whispered fiercely._

"_Yes I am. By the king's order. My shoulder-"_

"_Not finished!" The chamber interrupted. Then it choked her until she fell to her knees._

"...didn't finish her? We could... together now."

"...no not ... my son needs his mother... bad reflection on..."

"...conniving wench deserves..."

"...enough, Lavina. As much as I... this is not... leave."

"...as you wish."

_She was back on that awful day. Peachblossom was whinnying in panic. Jump hovered close bye._

"_Ah!" Kel moaned, lying on the dirt path. Tobe was by her side in an instant._

"_What happened?" He asked._

"_No, don't touch it. I think it's broken." She grounded out through tight teeth. Dom cursed and got off his horse._

"_Where is Neal when you need him? I saw the horse spook. What was it?" Jump began to growl at the near by ground wood._

"_Looked like a black viper, sir." As if summoned by Tobe's words a black snake as thick as Jump's head and longer than Dom's height came slithering out of the wood. It's body was slightly transparent and looked to have been made of smoke._

"_Be careful I am your death." It hissed in human words. The sound was so horrible. Peachblossom whinnied again and kicked his legs. Dom drew his sword and Tobe tried to pull her back. _

_The snake flew with speed that was unnatural and then it's fangs were sinking in to her bad shoulder. The snake disappeared into a cloud of black smoke as soon as Dom stabbed it with his sword. But the damage was done._

_It was black magic sent by the enemy._

"_Someone get Neal over hear. Hurry." But it wouldn't have mattered._

"_I can't heal her. It's impossible now." The snake's bite wasn't laced with venom but with a curse. Her shoulder would never fully heal._

"...still hasn't woken up..."

"...business needs... must be attended..."

"...no...for the... I will stay..."

"...of course my lord..."

_She was back at Fort New Hope. The people there were thriving and strong but there was an air of gloominess. _

_Domitan, Owen, Tobe and Jump sat in a semi circle outside one of the tents. _

_Everyone had bowls of food in there hands but no one ate. Now a words was exchanged. Jump whimpered._

_Kel wished that she had been allowed to take her animal companions and Tobe with her. She missed them all._

"_Don't be sad. What's wrong?" She approached them. No one acknowledged her. When she tried to rest her hand on Dome's shoulder she fazed right through him._

"_Hey!" Still no one turned. Fear and desperation churned in her chest. No matter what she did, she couldn't catch anyone's attention. No one knew she was there._

"Now is as good as any... leg attending."

"....I don't need any..."

"... the healer... on his way."

"... he's crying... Kai...Roamas take him." _The sound of her son's name nearly woke her but something was still holding her back._

"...will be for the lady?"

"No, it's a blessing...wounds... healer is for me."

"And Lady Keledry?"

"Don't be daft...the impudent... brought it on herself...strong... heal eventually."

"It will be as you say."

_It was her wedding day, though at the time she didn't know it._

_It was an honor to bow before the king but in her heart she did not feel honored._

"_And so with all the honor of a Lady Knight I do decree you honorably discharged. Due to your unfortunate condition I cannot allow you to serve knowing that you will never again be at your full capacity. The state will see to all funds you will ever need." The king helped her to her feet._

"_Your shield and weaponry." The king gestured to some servants who stepped forwards carrying a heavy crate covered in traveling cloth._

"_My servants can take those." Came a snidely familiar voice. Kel was surprised to see Joren of Stone Mountain standing near bye._

_She thought the chamber had killed him. But no, his heart at started to beat again. It was still a shame on his family and the King had knighted him privately. _

_She had no idea why he was there. These affairs didn't concern him._

_Suddenly her mother was holding her good shoulder._

"_Please take this bargain. On such short notice we could not find better." Kel had no idea what her mother was talking about until Joren stepped forwards and offered her a ring. His face was carefully neutral. The ring was old and had fine metals crafted into it._

"_What?" She asked, despite her cool reserve. Her mother continued whispering in her ear._

"_You have promised to be cared for and looked after. The king suggested it and made note that a lady in your status should not retire alone. Please do not decline this now." And so for her family sake, she stepped forward and placed the ring on her finger. It felt impossibly heavy._

_It was a small ceremony with only her parents, Joren's parents and King Jonathon present._

_When she was taken to the Stone Mountain Manor, alone in her room, she took the ring off and threw it out the window with all her might._

Kel's eyes flickered and the whispered words buzzing around the room fell silent. Eventually she woke up.

Her first sight was Joren, leaning heavily in a chair that was sitting at her bed side. His hair was a mess and she could smell rum on his breath.

"Welcome back." He told her nonchalantly.


	7. The Recovery

Disclaimer: I don't own The Protector of the Small Quartet

Kel blinked her eyes repeatedly. Her body felt unusually heavy. Joren sat in a chair next to her bed. An empty bottle rested in his lap, a sure indication that he had been drinking to help cover his leg pains. The war had been costly to Tortall. Healers were a rare luxury now days. Even nobles were treated mostly by doctors.

Kai fussed and whined as Joren's burley lackey carried him into her room.

"Here, he's been crying none stop." Joren gestured to the ugly man, Roamas, who handed the baby back over to her.

Kel held up her arms expectantly and Kai was placed in them. The action alone hurt her shoulder. Taking a deep breath, she gathered her emotions together and locked them in her mental trunk. Then she exhaled slowly.

As if triggered by her calmness, Kai quieted.

Joren snorted at her display.

Roamas lumbered out of the room without a word.

"I think I need to see a healer, or a doctor at least." She said after a few moments. Shifting Kai into her good arm, she flexed her sore shoulder and immediately regretted it. Hot pain shot directly through her arm and into her spine.

"I thought you already tried to have it healed." He reminded her with a snapping edge in his tone. Kel frowned, of course he was going to be difficult. Without any warning, Joren grabbed her bad arm and pulled up her tunic's sleeve to reveal her injured shoulder. Usually she kept a bandage wound about it at all times but someone must have taken it off while she slept.

Seeing as she couldn't stop him, Kel looked away. Since it had happened, she had done everything she could to keep her eyes from traveling to the injury. It wasn't disgust, hurt or anger that kept her from looking at it... it was just shame. Shame that it had happened in the first place.

Joren smiled, although Kel couldn't see him.

"What's the matter? Cant's stand the sight of your own wound?" He jostled her. For a moment, she thought he was going to flick or pinch the wound but apparently there were some things were too gruesome for even him..

The skin that should have covered the socket of her shoulder was missing. Muscles and veins were completely exposed. The surrounding skin formed a small barrier of rotten tissue smoldered in a flaky black color. It was alot better than it had been days after the curse had been set. _Small white bubbles of poison festered over the entire injury. When they popped, black ooze leaked out with a smell that could churn any stomach. _

Neal had done his best to work around the curse that had been set in place. He was the one to remove the dead flesh over the wound and clean it to prevent infection. He told her that his father might have been able to do more, but the Great Duke Baird of Queenscove had been called elsewhere on the battle front some time before. The Lioness had offered her healing magic as well but her powers faired no better. She had been able to put a protective seal over it however, to keep the curse from spreading and to help keep the wound clean and a smell from generating from it. No one had been able to relive the pain, however.

"... too bad. The doctor already left." Joren gestured to the freshly rapped bandages around his arm and leg. Kel realized that she should have been acting more responsive.

"Perhaps then I can have a someone come and look at my ribs instead." She gestured to his recently healed nose, reminding him of the night they had fought not long ago. Joren's brow furrowed at the insult but the liquor made him too slow to attack her. He let her words pass over him instead.

"Take it in strides." He said, getting up suddenly.

"You were a knight. Surely you can handle a little shoulder and rib pain. If I send for a doctor to attend you, when your health returns you'll try to take the child and escape again." He gestured to the baby, who was oblivious to the tension around him.

"Give me my son."

Kel frowned.

"What? Don't you want to rest?" He demanded a little more louder than necessary. Kel pulled Kai closer to him and the baby cooed, almost asleep.

"No, you're drunk. You could hurt him. I can understand you visiting him at night when you're like this and he's safe in the cradle, but not when you're going to carry him around." Joren began to shake with furry. Her insolnce knew no bounds...

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, you abrasive wench. He's my son!" He growled out. Moving, he went back to her bedside and yanked Kai out of her arms. The baby started to cry anew from being shaken so suddenly. Kel protested and started to get up. Joren jerked away from her reach and nearly lost balance in his drunken state.

Kel had to grab him by the front of his shirt to keep him from falling over. Her eyes were wild with fright.

Kai began to cry louder, clearly terrified. Neither parent said anything. After a moment of catching their breath both of them calmed down.

"Here." He spat in disgust, handing the baby back to Kel.

Simmering at his stupidity, she took Kai back into her arms and rocked him. She looked calm but her eyes were dark with barely contained anger as Joren left the room. When he was gone she surprised herself by shouting down the corridor.

"Why did you come here?" His visit had been a complete waste of time.

Joren heard her but never broke his stride. Under his breath he whispered,

"To make sure you were still alive."


	8. The Necklace

Disclaimer: I don't own The Protector of the Small Quartet

Kel stood by the window, nursing her son. The weather had gotten chillier, so she had opted to stay in her wool robe. She wasn't expected anywhere and since her stomach was _still_ troubling her she decided not to bother dressing for the day. Kai was swaddled in numerous blankets that she had sent for.

Outside, the first snow flakes began to fall. The sky was an ominous dark gray, promising trouble to come soon.

It was somewhat depressing too see so little animal life outside. Aside from the beasts in the field and of the barn, there was nothing. Even the wildlife knew better than to wonder through the Stone Mountain fief.

Without warning, her door suddenly burst open.

Kel knew it was Joren before he even spoke.

"One would think that a lady of the manor would already be dressed and presentable by noon time, lazy harlot." He snapped, boldly striding into the room.

Kel pressed her lips together, refusing to give into her temper like the last time. Outburst like that were unacceptable.

"What's the matter? Is the shoulder still bothering you, or is it the ribs?" He taunted. Joren continued until he was but breath away from her. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end in his presence. When it became apparent that she wasn't going to answer him, Joren spun her around to face him.

"I'm talking to you!" He said, and shook her once for good measure. The sudden movement, disrupted Kai's feeding and milk from her swollen bosom spilled on all three of them. Joren recoiled as if he had been bitten by a snake.

Kel hid a smile, wondering why she had never tried such tactic before. It was crude, but it looked like the easiest way to drive him off. Kai began to whine, bringing her out of her thoughts. Gently, she cleaned him and herself up; then began to rock him. He soothed under his mother's attention.

Joren sputtered, quickly bringing out a handkerchief to wipe away the offensive liquid from his attire.

"Nursing is peasant's work." He retorted, unable to meet her gaze. It took Kel a moment to realize that he was embarrassed.

Graciously, she turned away from him and allowed him a moment to collect himself.

"As long as I am his mother, I will care to him as I see fit." She told Joren softly. Turning back to him, she found him looking at her with an unreadable expression.

"I didn't come her to argue on such mundane matters as what my son eats." He told her evenly.

Kel was momentarily distracted by his tousled hair. Since he had cut it, she had noticed how hard it was for him to keep it neat and out of his face. She hadn't ever found the time to ask him why he cut it, but she was still curious.

The locks fell around his ears. The blondness of it was so pale that they almost looked silver. It was a shame that such handsome features were wasted on him...

"Are you listening to me!" Joren demanded. Kai squirmed at the intensity of his father's voice.

"Then why are you here?" She asked calmly.

Joren scowled and straightened. It was clear by his posture that he didn't want to be anywhere near her.

"If you haven't noticed, it has been a year since our... union. The marriage that is." He said, clearing his throat. It was rare for Joren to be anything but sure of himself.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled a mass of glimmering metals.

"As is custom, we are to exchange a gift." He murmured, moving to walk behind her. Kel turned with him, startled by his movements. The whole situation was very suspicious.

"Damn it, woman. Stand still!" He hissed.

Still confused to his intentions, Kel allowed him to fall behind her. She forced herself not to wince when his hands roughly pulled her hair away from her neck. Then he placed a heavy, cold necklace of sorts on her collar and clasped it himself.

Since their was no mirror, Kel had to study it by looking down.

The necklace was stunning to say the least. The material it was made from was a fine silver that made the chain thick. There were tiny polished black stones embedded into it. She suspected that it was Onyx. In the center there was a large, dark blue, oval sapphire. Every tiny movement caught light and made the piece shimmer.

It looked ridiculous with her wool robe.

Kel turned to Joren and raised her eyebrow.

"I trust this will suffice. In public presence, I do not want it to look as if I have neglected you." He told her coolly. _Although he really had._

"I see." She was all she said. It really didn't matter. There was no sentiment behind it.

"If you want to give me a gift, then send a healer or a doctor at least. My shoulder and ribs aren't the only ailments I have." She murmured, hesitating. It wouldn't be wise for a knight to reveal so many weaknesses to the enemy...

"My womb tears and bleeds from childbirth. It does not heal." On the other hand, it was a different matter for a wife to tell her husband of such things – even if it was Joren.

"You're making that up. Lies." He snorted. Kel turned to look at him in complete disbelief. Was he really so dense? Was he really so desperate to keep her body from mending?

"It's no lie." She said, feeling indignant. She didn't want to look at him.

"If that were the case, you'd already be dead." Joren turned to leave.

"Wait." Kel called, surprising herself.

Joren turned, his face fierce. Kel realized that he was at the stretch of his patients being civil to her.

She hesitated and then thought better of herself.

"What shall I give you?" She said at last, desperate to keep him in the room. If she could just stall long enough to find some way to reason with him...

Joren waved off her words.

"I have already supplied myself with a gift suitable to be presented in your name. You have given me an heir. Nothing else is required of you."

With that, her door slammed and she was once again alone with her son.


	9. The Attack

Disclaimer: I don't own the Protector of the Small Quartet

Kel's eyes jerked open. The night was silent and dark.

Something felt wrong. There was no rhyme or reason as to why something was wrong, she just sensed it.

Reaching over to the side of her bedpost, she pulled her discarded robe to her and quickly dressed. For a moment, she was tempted to light a candle but instinct told her not to. If she did, she would be giving her position away.

Stealthily, she went in to the room next door only to find Kai's crib empty. Fear immediately welled up in her. Her son was gone. His room was fine with no signs of disorder or chaos. The only thing out of place was the large door window that was open on the far side of his room.

Kel made sure to lock it every night. Whomever had stolen her son had used the window.

Silently, she ran over to it and looked out into the night. There was a dense fog that had settled over the grounds but no sign of anyone. Kel was just about to jump out of the window, worrying for Kai, when she heard a baby's cry far off in the distance of the manor. It was cut off abruptly with the sound of some soft shuffling.

Running back into her room, she found some boots to wear. Looking around desperately she tried to profile something to use as a weapon. When nothing was found of use, she settled on the metal necklace Joren had given her. It wouldn't do much, but the giant blue sapphire was very sharp. If nothing else, it would prove a good substitute as a short knife.

Another cry rose up again, this time followed by a loud several shouts and crashes. The noise died off with a final 'thump' that came from below. Kel felt the vibrations through the floor.

Hurriedly she raced down the stairs, placing the necklace over her head in the process. The cool stone slid heavily down her robe to rest on her sternum.

Most of the windows were closed with curtains but the ones that were uncovered, were pasted white with the surrounding fog.

As Kel traveled further down the hallway, she started to notice a drop in the temperature. Yes, the season was now midwinter but the manor usually never got as cold as it was now. Her breath could be seen in the air.

As she traveled through the corridor she glanced in as many rooms as she could find. The first few she came across were empty, but as she neared the grand staircase, she found a storage room with three dead servants inside.

Their middles had all been skewered out and dragged down the floor. It was sickening. Briefly, Kel wondered if everyone was dead but then dismissed the thought. Kai was her priority.

And where was Joren for that matter?

Reaching the top of the grand staircase, she looked down into the darkness.

On the top floor the staircase was narrow. It wounded down each floor in a tight spiral. As the staircase neared the bottom, it widened and straightened out.

Through the center spirals of the stairs she saw something shiny flicker in the darkness. She heard her son's cries from far below. Something flickered again and then a massive spidren flew out of the night below.

Kel pulled back just in the knick of time. The creature would taken off her head had she been any slower.

The thing jumped onto the ceiling and hissed. It was the largest spidren she had ever seen, maybe three times it's usual size, and it moved incredibly fast.

Frowning, Kel realized that Kai was no where to be seen.

"Where's my son?" She demanded. The spidren opened its mouth with many teeth and the sound of a wailing baby came out.

She didn't know spidren could do such things.

From its mouth spilled a foul smelling drool that gleamed in the dark.

Something was wrong with it...

Turning, the creature spit out a thick, white, mass of strings that glowed in the dark. Kel was familiar with that attack. It was fairly easy for her to dodge it.

Realizing that she had no other choice but to ground it, she tried to lure it to her. Pretending to squabble on an imaginary wound in her leg she hopped towards it. The spidren grinned at her and it took Kel a moment to realize that that particular creature had four eyes on its human face instead of the normal two.

Even more strange, it made an unusual ticking sound when it moved – even the slightest bit resulted in the ticking noise.

The creature opened it's mouth wide and lunged at her. Kel rolled away from it only to have her head jerk back. She cursed under her breath when she realized that the thing had taken hold of her hair. Now she wished that she hadn't grown it out...

The thing pulled her up so that she was dangle in the air in front of it.

As it did so, Kel reached up behind her and took hold of the spidren's wrist that was holding her. Thinking of Joren and how he had nearly dislocated her shoulder, she squeezed the creature's appendage until it popped. Then she twisted it mercilessly.

The spidren squealed nastily and threw her into the wall. Kel crumbled into it with such a force that it left her dizzy.

When she did finally get up to face the creature, it was gone. The thing moved really, really fast.

Her heart was racing with excitement and she was breathing heavily. She was annoyed to find that the mist from the outside had traveled into the manor. It clouded everything so that she could not even see her own hand in front of her face. Even more eerily, everything was silent again. There was no indication as to where the spidren went. Not even a ticking sound.

Kel kept her back to the wall as she slid to the stair case. It was the most vulnerable place to be, but she needed to get down stairs. To her aid, she was relieved to find that a small piece of the metal railing had come loose. It was frail, but long and sharp. It would make a suitable weapon.

She felt a little better with it in her hands than she did the necklace.

Slowly, she descended. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end when she made it to the fourth floor but there was no incident. When she made it to the third floor, she was aghast to find at least a dozen more servants lying dead out in the corridor. Their innards had been drawn out and scattered.

The gruesome sight made Kel stagger. She was trained to handle such atrocities but the horror before her only made her worry for her son. Against her better judgment, she left the stairway and walked through the messy corridor looking for Kai amongst the bodies. She desperately hoped that should she find him, he would be alive.

Something soft shuffled through the mist of the corridor ahead of her. Kel took cover in one of the side rooms, keeping her back to the wall. When nothing else was heard, she cautiously leaned around the corner only to hear the sudden wailing of a child from behind her.

Before she could react, a set of rough hands grabbed her and pulled her further into the darkness of the room.


	10. The Spidren

Disclaimer: I don't own the Protector of the Small Quartet

"If you make a sound and give us away, I'll kill you." A familiar voice whispered down her neck, while a hand clasped her mouth. Kel shivered at the close proximity to Joren.

Silently, he yanked the metal piece of railing from her hands.

When it was apparent that she wouldn't accidentally turn on him, she was released.

Kel whipped around fast and faced him.

It was dark, but she was still able to make out his knight armor and shield. A sheathed sword hung at his hip. A black metal band clung around his forehead. Some knights wore them for slight protection when helmets were unavailable.

"Where's Kai?" She demanded, realizing that the sound of a wailing infant had been silence. Joren gestured into the dark where his ugly lackey, Roamas, held their son. He was being fed from a bottle. Kel grimaced, despite the situation. She had still been nursing him. She knew infants rarely went back to breast feeding once they've had their try at a bottle.

"It's a diluted sleeping potion. No harm will come of it. The child's cries will give us away." Roamas told Kel, who was eying him suspiciously.

"What happened?" She demanded. She looked at Joren expectantly, but he was looking out into the hall.

"It came out of no where. Right into the young master's room it went and then back through the window." Roamas answered. His voice was the sound of crushed, dead leaves.

"The servants caught sight of it outside and managed to drive it back into the manner. Lord Joren lead an assault with some trained servants and cornered the beast on the second floor. The young master was rescued but at the costs of the servants' lives.

"We haven't found any survivors yet, aside from you my lady." Kel's brow furrowed. Something didn't fit. The spidren should have killed Kai as soon as it came upon him. Unless of course, her son wasn't the target... just the bait.

"And why wasn't I roused then? If the beast came back through the fifth floor, it should have attacked me on it's rampage. I saw servants near the stairs dead as if the spidren had started to come back up the fifth floor and something had drawn it back down." She told Roamas through narrowed eyes.

The man shifted slightly, but said nothing. Kel knew he was lying.

She suspected that the beast had come in and left through the window. It was a mystery as to why it came back into the manner once it had reached safety. It must have traveled to and for looking for its intended target , probably Joren or herself. Had it come upon her, she knew no one would have wept at her expense should she perish. The only question was, who lead the beast away and saved her?

"It makes no difference." Joren hissed, suddenly.

"You're here now. It's a shame you'll just get in the way when the spidren comes." Kel frowned, thinking that if he hadn't hidden all of her weapons away, she wouldn't be a burden at all.

Something loud thumped in the distance and everyone went stiff.

Kel and Joren raced to the door where each of them stood at a side.

"Do you see anything?" Kel whispered.

"No. Now shut up." Joren snapped. Kel resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She was glad that they had never fought together in combat before.

"Wait, there's movement in the hall-" Joren started, before a sudden rope of glowing slime wrapped itself tightly around Kel and yanked her to the ceiling. The spidren clung there, right above their heads.

Joren stood tall and struck the beast. The blow sliced open the spidren's human arm, above the elbow. It was a shallow wound, but it bled in showers. Kel braced herself for the acidic pain when she became drenched in it... but after a moment she realized that there was none. The spidren, or whatever it was, had no acid in it's blood.

The beast could have stayed and fought but instead it crawled across the ceiling and to the curtained glass window, its size that of a double door. Kel struggled in the beast's grip. Her arms were pinned together so that she could not reach the sharp pendant stone around her neck and stab the creature.

Kel heard Joren curse at it but the spidren would not be dissuaded from its escape. The only thing standing in its way was Joren's lackey, half way between the window and the beast.

"Roamas, move. Kai has to be kept safe!" Joren yelled.

Roamas said nothing. Frowning, he pulled out a hidden knife as the beast ticked, crawling over to the window. It was clear that something was controlling it, or it should have already killed Kel.

With one fluid stoke, Roamas threw the knife at the spidren's eye. The creature shrieked and dropped to the floor with Kel still in its grasp. Clumsily it tried to free its eye. However, in its distraction Kel had managed to loosen in its hold. Quickly, she found the necklace and stabbed it into the creature's arm.

The spidren roared then. Taking hold of Kel by the neck, it threw her into Roamas so that both of them collided with the window, with Kai in between them both.

"My son!" Joren roared in anger.

The window shattered from the impact and Roamas fell out first with the babe in his arms. Quickly, Kel balanced on the edge of the broken window and managed to hang herself partway out to hold Roamas and Kai.

Behind them, sounds of the beast shrieking could be heard. Joren was cursing at the thing.

Kel could see that the creature was refusing to engage him in fighting. Instead it traveled to and fro, trying to get to the window.

"I'm slipping! Here, take the child!" Roamas cried, thrusting the sleeping baby into her arms. Kai barely made it into her grasp before the man fell from her grip and plummeted to his death.

The fifth floor of the manor was too high up for a human to survive a fall from its heights.

"Behind you!" Joren warned. Kel looked behind her only to see a flying hand swipe at her face. The scratch of nails that stretched across her face stung but the force did the most damage, pushing her out the window so that she barely held on.

The beast above her was grinning, three of four eyes glowed red with glee. The black saliva dripping from its mouth reeked of poison. It shrieked again and lunged at her, only to pause mid strike as if it had been stunned.

Frozen in shock, the beast fell over Kel and out the window. Joren's sword was buried deep within the creature's back.

Kel held Kai tightly to her and clung to the window with all of her might.

"Here." Joren ordered, quietly. He offered his hand out and wrapped the other around Kel's wrist so that she could let go of the window without falling. Hurriedly she took hold of his hand and allowed him to hull her back into the room.

"Is he alright?" Joren asked as soon as she was through. They both looked down at the boy in her arms. Kai remained silent through the whole ordeal, still sleeping due to his drugged bottle.

"Not a scratch on him." She assured Joren. The two stood together for some time in silence. Kel looked to Joren once or twice, but he refused to look at her.

A baby's wail howled from the gap in the wall where the window had once stood. Both turned sharply to it only to find the battered spidren crawling back into the room. In one of its human hands, was half of Joren's knight sword.

Watching the two carefully, the spidren brought it's other hand up to its mouth and coated its sharp claws in its black saliva.

"Careful, that stuff is poison." Kel warned Joren. Stiffly Joren reached for his belt, no doubt he had another weapon hidden there.

"Take Kai to safety, you idiot." He ordered quietly. Kel shook her head.

The creature dropped the ruined sword suddenly, and lunged at Kel with it's sharp claws. Kel stood ready but at the last minute Joren pushed her out of the way. He allowed himself to take the full of the attack so that he was close enough to stab the creature in the chest with a smaller sword that he had hidden.

Kel's jaw dropped. She had not intended for him to protect her. She had been ready to defend...

The creature cut far into Joren chest before it recoiled. It shrieked in dismay and withdrew from Joren as if he were fire. Kel noticed that it withdrew more from aggravation than Joren's injury. The creature began to shake its human head wildly, as if it couldn't believe what it had just done. Then the creature fell to the ground and turned into a puff of black smoke. It reminded Kel of something she had seen before...

Joren collapsed.


	11. The Inlaws

Disclaimer: I don't own Protector of the Small Quartet

"My lady, could you sign these? The steward Ebroin of Genlith has requested that they be ready for petitioned by midnight." A servant named Nallryn bowed and offered a form of scrolls to Kel. Sighing, she made room for them amidst the disarray of paperwork on Joren's desk. Since he was still bed ridden, she had taken over in his active duties as lord of Stone Mountain.

"What are they for?" She asked, giving the scrolls a quick skim through. She had learned quickly that attempting to read all the paperwork before signing them would take an eternity. Instead, she had called to her some servants who were quick with the quill and savvy with the terms of law for assistance.

Once Kel made it clear that they were in no danger from Joren she got all the help she needed.

"It is a petition for a new mage to be sent for hire to the Stone Mountain fief, since our last mage was killed during the spidren attack. The war has cost us many good mages and in order to have a new one added to our services we must first petition to-" Kel waved a hand quickly.

"I see. Thank you, Nallryn. I'll sign it right now." She said in order to keep him quiet. The man was nice, but once he started talking there was no stopping him.

There was a polite knock on the door.

"Yes?" Kel called as she sifted through the scrolls, signing her name where it was required.

A servant girl poked her head through.

"Lady Keladry, Lord Burchard and his company have arrived." The servant girl bobbed a curtsy and left. She was one of the few shy ones that still refused to interact with Kel.

Sighing, Kel stood up and stretched her back.

"I'll back at another time." Nallryn offered as he took back the scrolls.

"Thank you, and go get yourself some lunch. You've been running around since sun rise and I know you've had nothing to eat." She ordered. The servant's face flushed scarlet. Hurriedly, he bowed and left.

Grimacing inward, Kel realized that she needed to leave as well. Straightening her clothes, she quickly left the office and made her way down to the first floor to greet Joren's family.

She was expecting Lord Burchard and his wife Lady Citonia. However, once the servants allowed them in they were followed by a small hoard of people. The first she recognized was the sleek face of Ebroin from Joren's trial when she had still been a squire all those years ago. Since then, she hadn't had any interaction with the man.

Behind him came the blond haired woman Kel had seen during the Autumn Festival. She was lovely in an icy sort of way. Behind her came a small sort of servants.

Apparently, they needed their own servants wherever they went.

"Lord Burchard and Lady Citonia, welcome." Kel greeted. Burchard brushed past her with a wave of his hand.

"I can't begin to detail how unbecoming it is for the lady of a manor to greet guests in such a poor fashion. Tell me, Keladry, was this something you picked up while amongst those barbaric Yamanians or were you taught no better by your parents?" The man asked sourly.

A brief image of the man barging into her rooms the night of Joren's ordeal passed through her head. He hadn't changed much.

"Why thank you. It is always nice to see you too." She replied, refusing to allow herself to be bothered by the man. The man growled under his breath and stalked his way into the manor. Turning away from him, Kel was greeted by Joren's mother.

She was a lovely woman with soft blue eyes and pretty pale hair. It was easy to see where Joren got his attractive looks from.

"Keladry, its good to see you again." The woman spoke soft and distantly. Kel realized she was making an effort to be kind. Before she could reply, however, the young icy woman sailed into her vision.

"Lady Keladry, where is the lord of the fief?" The woman asked. Her words were smooth and punctuated with a soft, yet cutting voice.

Kel frowned.

"Oh, where are my manners? Keladry, allow me to introduce Lavina of Roshllys. Her family is distant removed cousins of our own. Lavina, this is Lady Keladry former Knight to their Majesties King Johnathon and Queen Thayet. " Citonia explained.

"It's nice to make your acquaintance." Kel murmured. Lavina smiled tightly.

"Enough of this chit chat!" Ebroin bit in. The servants standing around him hurriedly bustled out of his way.

"Keladry, did you get the forms I sent you? Have they been signed?" The man asked irritably.

"Not now, Ebroin." Citonia bit in. The man wilted under the lady's words. Nallryn had the unfortunate task guiding him to his room.

"There will be time for that later. Right now I want to see my grandson." She smiled expectantly at Kel.

"And I want to see Joren." Lavina added. She gestured to the servants they had come with.

"Go find my room and unpack my belongings." Two women curtsied and took off with some three loads of baggage.

"Don't worry about finding us some rooms, my dear. We know this manor well enough. We can place ourselves." Citonia assured. Kel bit the inside of her cheek at the people's audacity. She knew the lady was still trying to be kind, but it was hard not to take offense.

"Rest assured, now that we are here we can get the fief up and running properly again despite Joren's illness. There is no need for you to tire yourself out with your squabbling, fruitless tactics." Burchard assured, as he clamped a heavy hand on Kel's shoulder. She shrugged it off, tired of being polite.

"Perhaps you would like to see your son." She said.

Lavina, who had been trailing by the grand stair way looked back at Kel irritably.

"Yes, that's what I suggested earlier." She snapped. Kel wasted no time.

"This way." Burchard, Citonia and Lavina took her queue and followed.

Kel guided the three up the stairs to the fifth floor where Joren was staying. His apartment of rooms were actually right across the hall from Kel's, though he rarely used them. Since his return on temporary leave, he had been sleeping in his study on the first floor. His leg injury made it difficult for him to use the stairs.

"He is in there, sleeping. He's been unconscious since the attack. " She told them in a whisper, hoping that they would get the hint.

Burchard opened the room door with such strength that it slammed against the wall.

"Does he not have a healer?" He demanded, loudly. Annoyed, Kel frowned and then quickly hid it.

"See for yourself. There is one looking at him now. I am told his condition remains the same. A healing specialist comes now from Galla as we speak." She told them.

Lavina rushed passed Kel and then Burchard so that she entered the room first.

"Out of my way, you boar!" She hissed at the healer that knelt over Joren's sleeping form. The poor woman was shoved roughly to the side and fell to the floor so that Lavina could have her place. Without any trace of shame, she reached over Joren's sleeping form and grabbed his hand. Burchard came to stand next to Lavina, completely ignoring the fallen healer.

"I think it would be best if you leave now." Citonia told the healer before she too turned to Joren's bed side. Fuming now, Kel helped the woman to her feet and quietly thanked her for her time. She made a mental note to give the woman extra pay in wages for being dealt in such a cruel manner.

"Is he in any pain?" Citonia wanted to know. Kel would have answered, but Lavina beat her to it.

"The poison is designed to be painful. But while he sleeps it is not as bad." Kel listened, thinking that there was something odd with her response. There was very little knowledge on the curse. It was strange that someone like Lavina knew so much.

"That idiot healer. His condition is worsening. Anyone can see that. Look!" Lavina had boldly removed Joren's bed coverings and lifted up his shirt.

Black decay, very similar to the wound on Kel's shoulder, lingered in a giant pit over Joren's stomach. He was a mess. The original injury had been deep enough. Aside from that, the spidren's poison had been cursed. Three healers had come and seen him. None of them knew how to remedy it.

Like hers, the wound did not heal or seal. A protective barrier had to be placed over it to contain it. The only problem was his wound was much larger and deeper than hers was. Kel learned that the curse had traveled with the wound and had entered his system. It was only a matter of time before it ate away at him completely. Unlike her wound, his had not been treated as quickly and the damage had been much worse. There was a good chance that he would die from it.

"What have you done to my son, you bitch?" Burchard turned suddenly on Kel.

She returned his fiery gaze with a levelheaded one of her own.

"I did nothing. It was the spidren. Joren took the blunt of the attack and saved my life. I could have sworn that all this was sent to you when I reported the incident." She told the man calmly. Citonia shifted uneasily at the confrontation.

"Keladry, what about our grandson Kai?" The lady asked.

"A pitiful name." Burchard grumbled. At that point, Kel wanted to slap the man silly.

"Please come to his nursery and I'll show you." Kel turned to Lavina only to see that the woman was still at Joren's side, holding his hand while he slept. Apparently, she wasn't coming.

"How old did you say he was?" Burchard asked as she guided them into Kai's room.

"Nearly six months... Now, may I present Kai of Stone Mountain." She proudly introduced her son to Joren's parents.

Citonia immediately picked him up.

"Oh, he's so handsome - just like his father. Look, he has his eyes!" The lady exclaimed as she cooed over the boy.

"A shame his hair is such an unfortunate color." Burchard commented. Despite her Yamani training, Kel's cheeks colored. Her son's rich, dark, nearly black hair came from her lineage.

"Oh, he's so big. He'll be a strong one." Citonia added.

"What did you say his honored name was?" Burchard asked, not looking at Kel.

"I didn't. Joren hasn't told me what he wants it to be yet." She told them softly. Thinking of him, Kel slowly slipped away. She knew she would not be missed.

Quietly, Kel headed back to Joren's room. She felt guilty over his injury and over the fact that she had barely visited him. In all the chaos afterwards, she had only seen him twice. The manor and fief still needed to be run. Property damages had to be paid and rebuilt.

Coming down the corridor, Kel stopped just outside Joren's room.

Inside, she could see a green light glowing. Quickly she came inside only to find Lavina getting up.

"You hire fools for healers." She told Kel coldly.

"The healers do all that they can." Kel retorted. Lavina snorted in a very unladylike fashion.

"Well, its not nearly enough." Turning, she looked at Joren.

"He'll sleep better now. When he awakens, you will notify me immediately." She ordered and then walked out quickly. Kel watched her go and then went to take Lavina's place beside his bed.

She noticed right away that he was breathing much easier now. The wound on his stomach had put a strain on his abdomen that the healers could not fix. Whatever Lavina had done, it was helping his breathing improve.

Curiously, Kel lifted up his shirt and inspected the curse only to find that it was completely gone.


	12. The Threat

Disclaimer: I don't own Protector of the Small Quartet

"So this is where the Joren was attacked." Lavina mused aloud. Kel rubbed her temples. She was beginning to get a headache. Lavina was being less than cooperating.

"Ok tell me again, why can't you repeat the healing sequence?" She asked in a strain voice. Lavina smiled airily at her. Kel's shoulder twitched in pain.

Patiently she watched as Lavina paced the room. Why the blond chose the dismantled room the spidren had attacked in as a place to meet, she had no idea. The furniture was in shreds and there was still a gaping whole in the wall where the window had once been. It was drafty and dirty and offered little privacy.

"I told you. It was an accident. I'm not nearly trained enough to be a professional healer. It was just on a whim. Joren was lucky." She explained dismissively. Kel saw that she was making a bee line to the door and hurried to intercept her. It had been hell just to get Lavina to agree to see her to begin with.

"Where exactly did you study your magic?" Kel asked, putting herself between the blond and the door. Lavina narrowed her blue eyes acidly.

"Abroad. I've been everywhere: Maren, Scanra, Sarain, Tyra, Tusaine, Carthak, and even Galla." Kel raised an eyebrow. So many places and yet she claimed that she hadn't been trained nearly enough to be a professional healer.

"Ever been to the Copper Isles or perhaps to visit the Yamanians?" She asked challengingly. Lavina rolled her eyes.

"Perhaps I shall visit another time, once the war with Scanra is over. How is Joren? Why aren't you with him?" She demanded, trying to maneuver around Kel. The former knight sighed at Lavina's poor evasive tactics. She wasn't fooling anyone.

"Joren hasn't awakened yet. His parents are with him. Now, perhaps your last teacher would be able to perform this unique healing technique. Who were they? Where was the last place you studied?" She asked, watching Lavina closely for a reaction. However the blond would have none of it. She tried to brush passed Kel; but when it became apparent that knight would not let her, she settled for a sneer.

"For someone who is married, you care little for your husband." She snapped. Kel's retort bypassed her brain completely.

"And for someone who isn't married, you seem to care a little too much for my husband." Lavina looked at her in sharply. Kel stepped back, stunned by her own breach in emotional control. It was unlike her to become so angry and rude. In Yamani culture, such lack of discipline was down right embarrassing.

"What concern is that of yours? Are you not the the harlot knight that goes behind your husbands back with another?" Lavina asked acidly.

"Cleon?" Kel asked faintly. Her eyes became slightly unfocused. Suddenly, Lavina launched onto Kel's forearms. The blond's hands began to glow green...

_Cleon turned and smiled wryly at Kel. His arms went immediately around her waist. They were standing in a deep chasm of darkness, surrounded by high cliffs on all sides. There was no light._

"_So you've come back to me again." He mused. Kel stared at him in awe._

"_How can this be. There is no way this can be real. You're – you're dead." She whispered. Cleon leaned down and kissed her tenderly. _

"_But it is." He insisted. Kel tried to shake her head half heartedly, hoping to wake up from whatever dream she had. Cleon grabbed her hands and squeezed it gently._

"_Soon you won't ever want to wake up." He murmured. Kel closed her eyes and let him pull her more tightly to him. Distantly, she heard a voice._

"You are too much of a threat. With your demise-"

The voice was interrupted when a something loud smashed against the wall. Kel's eyes came back into focus. Citonia had entered the room and in the process and pushed open the door too hard. It had slightly come off its hinge when it had collided with the wall.

"Joren is waking!" She exclaimed excitedly. Kai, who was resting on her hip, squealed in delight at his grandmother's enthusiasm. Kel jerked her head in surprise at the announcement but she was still too much in a daze to answer. Lavina quickly hid her hands behind her back with a grimace.

"That is excellent news. Please go ahead, Keledry, and give Joren my regards. I will be along shortly." Lavina replied smoothly. Citonia gestured for Kel to follow her and quickly left. It was clear that the woman wanted to be with her son.

Kel looked back at Lavina. She wanted to be suspicious but it was hard for her to focus. Her memory was slipping fast, trying to grasp at whatever had just happened. There was something about Cleon and... green light? It didn't make sense. Mentally, she shook herself.

"I want you to find a way to repeat the healing process. This conversation isn't over. " She told the blond firmly. Lavina stared blankly back at her with her hands held behind her back.

"Yes it is. Don't ask again. I will not heal you." Hurriedly, the blond pushed Kel away from her and stormed out. Kel watched her retreat, deep in thought. The first few days of Lavina's arrival kept playing back in her head.

Somethings were not adding up. It was clear that Lavina was responsible for Joren's miraculous recovery and yet she insisted that it was an unrepeatable fluke. Kel recalled how strange it had been when Lavina had first seen Joren and had correctly stated that Joren's curse was causing him pain, but not nearly as much in his sleep. No one knew that information but Kel, being as she was suffering from the same thing.

Slowly, Kel forced herself to leave the room. Joren was waking and she wanted to be there when he finally came to. But still...


	13. The Awakening

Disclaimer: I don't own Protector of the Small Quartet

"Joren, son? Please wake up." Citonia whispered gently to her son.

Watching from a few paces away, Kel held Kai and watched silently as his family members crowded around her husband. Citonia was leaning over him and wiping his head with a wet cloth. Lavina was at his side and holding his hand in what seemed to be a death grip. His father, Burchard stood impatiently at the foot of Joren's bed.

Kai watched his father solemnly with big eyes, making him look much more intelligent than that of an infant.

Briefly, Kel wondered where Ebroin of Genlith was, but then considered it fortunate that he was not in the room with her.

"Wife, this is a waste of our time. The youth is still in slumber." Burchard rumbled. It was clear that he didn't believe his wife's claims that Joren was waking.

"No, he's not. I saw his eyes flicker! I saw them move!" Her voice was insistant. But her husband was already shaking his head. Kai whimpered, clearly uncomfortable with the loud noises. Kel shushed him gently.

"This is foolish nonsense." He scoffed.

"I swear on the name of Mithros, his eyes flickered!" The woman's voice was becoming shrill. Frantically, her blue eyes searched the room, looking for someone to assure her. Burchard was shaking his head and Lavina was too entranced with Joren to notice the woman. Finally, Citonia's eyes rested on Kel.

"Keledry, you believe me don't you!" She cried. Kai shifted irritably and Kel forced herself to adjust her stance.

But before she could open her mouth and reply, Lavina made and irritate noise.

"Quiet!" She rebuked. And then softly she added,

"His hand moved." Kel looked at Joren's hand entwined with Lavina's and wondered for the hundredth time what exactly their relationship had entailed.

"You can wake up now." She whispered gently to Joren.

The man groaned quietly at his words. Instinctively, he reached out to rub his injured stomach. When it became apparent that there was no injury, his eyes flew open in shock. Jerkily, he threw off his blankets and lifted his shirt.

"The injury is gone. Then I am recovered." He stated. He lifted his head and took in the people around him. Finally his gaze came to rest on Kel.

"Yes, yes. You are recovered. Oh, my son." Citonia had large tears leaking from her eyes as she leaned in to touch Joren's face. Her husband was clearly irritated by his mother's actions but said nothing. Kel imagined that the woman was afraid of losing her son again. First with the Chamber ordeal and then with the Spidren attack. Kel looked down at Kai, who was presently reaching for his father, and silently hoped that her son would never put her through such grief.

"See, I told you to have confidence in my healing abilities. It was I that revived you." Lavina was snidely commenting. Joren looked at her and nodded slowly in acknowledgment.

Burchard came over and slapped his son soundly on the back.

"Ah my boy. How strong you are. It is good to see you awake finally." The man proclaimed. Joren frowned at him but nodded.

"It is good to see you as well, father. Surely you all didn't come on my account." He murmured.

Kel watched with a sinking feeling in her chest. Joren was acting strangely docile. His usual manor and character had vanished without a trace. Perhaps the Spidren had knocked him in the head a little too hard...

Joren's blue eyes caught Kel's. They looked at each other intensely for a moment. Kel thought he would say something insanely wise and uncharacteristically good. Then he smirked,

"So you are still alive." There was obvious disappointment in the comment and then Kel realized that he had not changed at all.

"Yes. And so are you." She answered neutrally. Kai reached out to Joren excitedly, obviously wanting his attention. Joren's eyes fell on his son and something in his posture sagged in relief.

"And so is the boy." He added, with obvious feeling. Lavina noticed the exchange and displeasure rippled quickly across her face. Her blue eyes flashed green for a second but then vanished so quickly that only Kel saw it.

"Are you not glad to see us, Joren? We traveled all this way for you." She told him in both a hurt and equally annoyed voice. Joren turned and looked at her carefully.

"You and I will speak later, cousin." His words were meaningful and promising. Kel didn't like it at all, but said nothing.

"I grow tired of these exchanged words. You may all go now." Joren waved his hand dismissively.

Burchard didn't need to be told twice. Nodding quickly, the man congratulated Lavina on her excellent healing skills, wished Joren the best, and then excused himself. Kel could only guess what urgent matters he thought needed his attention.

Citonia was a bit harder to convince, as she wanted to spend more time with her son.

"Are you sure, because I could stay and read to you. Or perhaps bring you some food. You must be hungry." She would have continued too, if Joren hadn't lost his patience.

"Enough! I am no longer a child that needs constant supervision. You are a guest in my dwelling and you will honor my requests. Leave woman." He told her coldly. Kel could barely believe that her husband spoke to his own mother like that. When she was growing up, she had always been taught to honor her parents.

"I don't understand why I can't say." Lavina was saying, with obvious irritation.

"Because I want you to leave." Joren retorted, using the same tone. Lavina's cold blue eyes met Joren's challengingly. What she found in them, Kel could not imagine. Eventually the icy woman softened and backed off.

"Very well. We will talk later." She told him in an entirely new voice. Sniffing distastefully at Kel, Lavina picked up her shirts and sailed gracefully out of the room. Kel watched her go.

"That includes you as well." Kel turned to see Joren giving her hard look.

She studied him for a moment, deciding that she would risk his wrath. He didn't seem that strong yet. Watching him carefully, she walked over to the bed with Kai in her arms. Her son crowd in obvious delight at the proximity to his father.

"He seems to have taken a liking to you." Kel commented. Joren's nostrils flared in irritation at Kel's defiance.

"I ordered you to leave, wench." He told her stiffly. Kai reached out happily to Joren. The blond looked at Kai thoughtfully, obviously battling inwardly over the action to hold him.

"Lavina healed your wound." Kel stated, gesturing to Joren's stomach. The blond looked at her in disgust.

"Yes we all know that. Now get out." Before Kel could stop him, Joren reached out and snatched Kai from her. The boy laughed gleefully in his father's arms.

"You had the same cursed wound that I did. That Spidren or whatever that thing was infected you the same way the serpent creature infected me." Kel continued. Joren stared at her blankly.

"Yes, we all know that now. Is there anything else that you feel the need to state the obvious in or will you leave now?" He asked in a dangerous voice. Kel noticed that his biceps were quivering and knew that he was testing his muscles. It was a sure bet that if she didn't leave soon, he would try to hit her.

"No, first I need to know about Lavina. She claims that it was nearly a fluke in her power that healed you. But I think that she is holding back more than she cares to reveal. Maybe if your order her to, she would heal me." Kel mused.

She risked a look at Joren only to see the man staring at her darkly.

"How long have I been sleeping?" He asked in a low voice. Kel watched him out of the side of her eyes for any signs of aggression.

"About moon's cycle." She answered. Joren nodded, satisfied with the answer.

"Good. I feared that it would be longer and my muscles would have grown soft." He murmured. With certain gentleness Joren set Kai down on the bed.

Kel's shoulder twitched and she became impatient.

"Did you hear me? I think Lavina could repeat the process and force the curse from my shoulder!" Kel explained. She looked back at Joren expectedly. She was mildly to surprise to see that he looked disturbed. There was something decidedly feral in his eyes.

"We discussed this already." He bit out slowly.

Kai grew quiet at his father's angry words.

"You are not going to see a healer. You will never heal. I won't allow it! It is bad enough that I am tied to you. I will not bear any further shame on your part by you regaining your knighthood and leaving me! I will not allow you to drag my family's reputation through the mud by divorce from you. Woman who requests separation bring only shame. The magnitude of the insult would be all the greater once you reclaim your knighthood." His words grew rapidly faster as his voice grew louder and louder.

"Again and again you defy me. First as a page, then as a squire, then a knight, and now as my own wife!" He roared.

"Leave now. Get out of my sight before I kill you!" He hissed. Kel could barely process what he was saying. Since they had wedded, she had thought he had mellowed. It was clear that he had just been holding back. He still hated her if not more now than ever!

"But-"

"-Get out!" Joren ordered angrily.

"Just-"

"-Get out!" The man yelled in furry. Kai began to cry.

Desperate now for him to hear her out, Kel ripped off the sleeve of her garment, along with bandages underneath and exposed the naked flesh of the cursed wound.

"Have you forgotten so easily, now that your curse is lifted? Look at the pain and grotesque wound!" She shouted, baring her shoulder at her husband.

"I said get out!" Joren roared as if possessed. Without warning, Joren reached up and grabbed Kel's jaw. Her bone began to crack under the pressure of his fierce grip. It was obvious that he was trying to hold the former knight and beat her in the face. When he went to raise his fist, Kel caught him and twisted his arm until she heard a snap. Joren withdrew instantly and Kel used that time to grab Kai and leave.

A quick glance over her shoulder told her that Joren's arm was dislocated at the elbow.


	14. The Tower

Disclaimer: I don't own the Protector of the Small Series

"My lady, this was all I could find of her." Nallryn whispered. Even in his quiet voice, the large room still echoed from his breath. Kel nodded appreciatively as the servant handed her a small envelope.

"It's not much, I'm afraid." The man added softly.

"Thank you." She whispered back. Opening the envelope quietly, Kel squinted through the dim light to read its contents.

Lavina of Roshllys

Birth: 440 H.E. To the lord Talso and lady Asyld

First and only child

Mage: Healer Status

Kel stared at the parchment, hoping to find some hidden meaning to the words. It didn't even list her education or her nobility. As the moments dragged on, Nallryn began to squirm.

"How do you like this place, my lady?" He asked in a hushed tone. Kel looked up at the room.

" I had no idea that the store rooms were this big. Are you sure no one comes here?" She whispered. Glancing around, she took in the dusty, circular room.

It was high up in the largest tower of the Stone Mountain Manner. The walls were made of the oldest stone. Age had colored the room a dark beige color. Tiny slits in the wall served as windows that had long since been covered with old rags to keep the sunlight out. The walls were surrounded with high stacks of wooden crates. It left the center of the room, bare.

"Fairly sure." Nallryn told her, his nose wrinkling in distaste at the dust in the room.

Kel kept her features schooled, although she was impressed by the size of it. She could easily use the room to train in. Since her dearest husband forbade her from any and all physical practice of combat, she was starting to wane in shape. The room would be perfect for her discretion. Now all she needed was to bring a lamp...

"However did you find this room?" She asked.

"The servant's passageway. It winds throughout the walls of the manner. There are many forgotten rooms." Nallryn told her quietly, his voice open with invitation.

Kel waved her hand.

"Thank you, but this will suffice perfectly."

"Yes, milady." The servant bowed, recognizing her dismissal.

"To get out, just use the side panel. It will take you down three flights of stairs. Then turn left at the four-split passage. It will spit you out in the kitchen..." Nallryn blushed, although it was too dark to see.

"Forgive my language." He bowed again.

"It would be much easier to use the door." Kel mused.

Nallryn slid open the wall panel and slipped inside.

"Yes, but it's locked and bolted from the outside. Master Joren has the only key." He explained, before sliding the panel shut.

Kel raised an eyebrow.

Why would Joren lock the room up?

Walking around the room, Kel ran her hands over the dusty crates. The wood was old and frail. Circling around the room, she stopped when her hand ran over a particular stack of crates close by the bolted door.

The wood was new and there hadn't been time for hardly any dust to collect. The crates had been recently added to the collection.

Climbing up on a nearby stack, Kel reached over and pried open one of the new crates. Inside she found a box of letters. Squinting, she vaguely made out that the letter was addressed to her and that it was from Neal.

A cold fire began to spread through Kel's veins.

The other letters were from her friends. Lady Alanna, Princess Shinkokami, Lord Wyldon and her friends from the front.

"That creep has been intercepting my letters." She whispered in disbelief. To be so paranoid and controlling... Kel shook her head. What else had he been keeping from her?

Pulling the crate off of the stack, she began to rummage through the crate underneath it. The first things she saw inside was her glaive...


	15. The Secret Rendezvous

Disclaimer: I don't own the Protector of the Small Series

Kel mentally cursed herself for not paying closer attention to Nallryn's directions. The servant passages were a maze of halls and she had yet to find one door that lead to the outside.

After spending hours rummaging through the crates with her belongings in them, she had lost all track of time. Dinner had probably already been served, not that anyone would miss her. Still, it would look odd that the lady of the manner was not present. Not that the time hadn't been well spent. She had found her glaive, shield, armor and many other of her belongings that Joren had insisted on removinmg once they had wedded.

Turning down another passageway, Kel sighed when she ran in to a dead end. At her rate, she would never get out. It didn't help that she had to hide every time a servant passed by.

Running her hand over the wall, she was half tempted to try and break it. The walls were weak and allowed small cracks of light to run through from the outside. Kel could tell that she was next to the main receiving room. Two servants were intimately locked in each other's arms in the corner of the room. Kel stepped away from the wall. She didn't want any one to know that she had been using the servant passages.

"The nerve of that woman." Came a familiar voice. Kel started towards it.

"She still dreams of him, you know. Cleon. Was that his name?" The voice asked. Kel jerked slightly. No one knew that she still dreamed of him.

"It doesn't matter." That was Joren's voice.

Kel turned down several corners until she stopped next to the library.

"You're attracted to her." The voice accused. Looking through the cracks, she spotted Joren and Lavina standing in the open office off to the side of book cases.

"Don't be ridiculous." Joren scoffed.

Lavina was dressed in a white and blue chore gown with slits on both sides of her legs and sleeves that hung wide and loosely on her arms. Kel was surprised to see Joren fully dressed in his knight's armor with his shield and newly restored sword.

"Why did you stop my spell?" Lavina whined, circling Joren. Her arms glowed with a sickly green pale light. Kel watched in fascination as the two blonds faced each other. Joren raised his sword and swung hard at the lady.

"If you had just stood aside, then we would be rid of her now." Lavina added bitterly. The ground beneath her began to glow until it became too bright to see. Joren flinched, halting his attack and Lavina charged him. Scraping her hand against his chest plate. The impact of the force sent Joren skidding back several feet. Kel was shocked to see that the green from Lavina's hands had left an electric current shaped like claw marks across Joren's armor. The power of it had broken through the metal. Joren frowned and shook off his daze.

Kel licked her lips in anticipation. She had never seen Lavina's gift before. It was painstakingly obvious that the icy woman had more than just the simple magic to heal. Although Kel noted that Joren's arm had been relocated and was in prime condition.

"Yes, she would be dead now **and** so would my son. That is not something I will allow. Kai is my heir." He reminded her sternly, swiping at her with his sword. Lavina pouted and pranced away.

"If she were dead than you would be free to wed me as we were intended. I could just as easily give you an heir." Lavina whispered suggestively, leaning forward. Joren took that as his initiative and slammed into Lavina with his shield. Crying out in disdain, Lavina twisted and fell to her hands and knees, leaving her back wide open for Joren to attack.

"Yes, I'm sure the rest of your parents would be thrilled for you to wed a disgraced knight. Or have you forgotten the reason why your father withdrew the arrangement?" Joren asked bitterly.

Kel frowned at their words. She had never thought that Joren would have had a betrothed. The shame from the chamber's ordeal must have stained his reputation so badly that the marriage plans had dissolved.

"My family is no longer an issue. I have learned much in your absence. I can give you anything you desire. Wealth, power or glory – just name it. You would be happy with me as your lady. Imagine it!" She exclaimed. Pushing against the ground, the lady jumped back up and twisted around and grabbed Joren's hands and raised them happily. An undercurrent of green lights sparked from her limbs into Joren's. Annoyed, Joren yanked his hands back.

"The time for imagining is over. What would you have me do with Kai? He's a Stone Mountain, just as I am." He demanded crossly.

"Cull him." Lavina suggested. Joren growled.

Kel fought back the instinctive anger at their conversation. She needed to get Kai out before it was too late. Joren was a monster and Lavina was evil.

Silently she watched as Lavina bent down and pushed her hands onto the ground. The green light from her limbs shot into the ground and spread out like a lake of magic. The light twisted and danced all around in sharp, bright sparks. When the current spread to Joren's feet it shot out at him, literally pushing him into the air.

Kel released a breath she didn't know she was holding as she watched her husband plummet back to the stone floor.

"The woman means nothing to you. Why should her son?" Lavina demanded, moving to stand over him.

"Get out. This discussion is over." Joren snarled. He made a wild swipe at the icy blond woman, but he was still weak from the last attack. Lavina pranced out of his way, making him miss by several meters.

"Is this how you repay me after everything I've done for you? Or have you forgotten that it was I who brought you back to life after the Chamber Ordeal?" She hissed, raising her hand and shooting the green energy out as if it were a bucket of water. Joren used his shield to protect him from the attack.

"Silence." He roared, throwing his sword directly at the mage. Lavina relented her magical attack to dodge the sword. Kel noticed that the blond was unable to keep a constant on her power when she had to move. Springing up, Joren threw his shield to the ground and slammed himself into his cousin. Kel watched in fascination as the two struggled against each other.

"You have no right to interfere. I have my own vendetta, after all. She killed my master." Lavina hissed. Joren grabbed her hands and forced them inward so that she couldn't attack him without hurting herself.

"How easily your own foolishness makes you forget. The crown is still wary of you. Your relations to Scanra makes all of Tortall naturally suspicious. All of your actions are watched now." Joren shouted. Abruptly, their struggling ceased. Lavina stared at her opponent, captivated.

"I knew you cared of me." She licked her lips and boldly leaned in, effectively kissing Joren into silence. Kel watched solemnly, something heavy and numb settling in her chest as she watched Joren kiss the blond. Was this how he felt when he had found her with Cleon?

Several minutes later, the two broke apart for air. Joren pushed Lavina away.

"Enough!" He barked. Lavina scoffed.

"Why the sudden hesitation, afraid we'll be caught? Your wife already knows of us. See," Not taking her eyes off Joren, Lavina raised her hand and aimed it in Kel's direction. Her hands started to glow green. Before the lady knight could react, a blast of twisted magic sprung forth, knocking straight through the wall and into Kel's hideaway.

Everything came crashing down in the glowing, green spell. It hurt, fire and ice all at once. It dug into her, tearing and ripping everything. Gasping, she forced herself to her feet. Shaking, she made her way into the library prepared to confront the two of them. Her eyes failed her then and she found to her horror that once the magic settled into her, she couldn't control her muscles. Abruptly her knees buckled. She started to sway forward but something caught her before she fell.

"You're too generous." Lavina sneered, her voice was far off and fading. Then Kel's world went black.


	16. The Chamber

Disclaimer: I don't own Protector of the Small Quartet

"_See! Even now she thinks of another."_

Kel opened her eyes. She was lying on her bed in her room. Immediately, she noticed that her shoulder did not hurt. She could move it left, right or any which way she pleased and it felt fine. When she went to pull up her sleeve and inspect her shoulder, she was surprised to find herself fully dressed in her knight's armor.

Glancing around her room, she noticed the sun had cast an eerily green light into her room as it began to set. It was nearly evening.

Wait, green?

"Kel?" A familiar voice called. Instantly, the blood began to pump in her veins.

She knew that voice!

Quickly, she left her bed and ran to the doorway.

"Kel, where are you?" The voice asked. Glancing down the corridor, Kel was surprised that there were no servants present. She knew that there was something wrong. There were supposed to be servants...

"Please come out, love." The voice called. Kel began to run towards it.

As she passed a small room, she slowed down. The room was so familiar. Peering inside, she saw a very small bed along side the wall with a wooden chest of toys next to the bed. A pile of folded blankets rested in a basket by the door and in the closet she found a vast wardrobe of small clothing. There was a balcony on the far side of the room. Kel could see the green sun had nearly set...

"Mindelan! Hurry it is nearly night."

Kel ran out of the room.

Hurriedly, she ran down the corridor to the grand stair case.

"Where are you?" She called out. There was a deep urgency in her. She knew she had to find that voice before the sun was gone.

As Kel descended the stairs, she saw that there was a lone figure waiting for her at the bottom. Her pace increased once she realized who it was.

"Cleon!" She cried out joyfully and launched herself into his awaiting arms.

Wait, she did not act like that – but then the red head lwas laughing and kissing her deeply. Once he pulled away, he began to tug on her arm.

"Come one, we have to leave now." He insisted, pointing at the dim green that had nearly dipped beyond the landscape.

Kel glanced around.

"Where is everyone?" She asked. There were always people in the Stone Mountain Manner.

Then it hit her. She was in the Stone Mountain Manner.

Cleon grew impatient.

"Now is not the time for questions. I've come to rescue you." He kissed her again. Kel shook her head, trying to get her mind to focus.

"Alright, lets go."

Cleon smiled and held out her glaive. Kel took it in one hand and grabbed Cleon's hand with the other.

_A baby cooed._

"_Can't you keep him quiet?" A voice asked in irritation. _

Kel stopped and peered around. What was that?

"Please, my dear. We must go now. New Hope needs you!"

New Hope – of course! New Hope was the fort she was charged with!

But... She let go of Cleon's hand.

"Your horses are waiting out back." Cleon prompted when Kel still did not move.

"Peachblossom and Hoshi?" She asked. How could she have forgotten her horses?

Abruptly, Cleon kissed her again.

"Your family will be happy to see you." He added. When he noticed Kel's far away expression, his expression turned to one of hurt.

"Kel, you do want to go with me, don't you? I love you." Kel allowed him to gather her in his arms.

"You love me too, don't you?" He asked and leaned in to kiss her again.

"_I've seen enough, Lavina. End this."_

_There was a high feminine laugh._

"_Don't you want to see how it ends?"_

"_No... Send me back to the Northern Sieges. My leg has long since healed and I want to return to battle field."_

_There was silence._

"_Do it! I know you have the power."_

There was a brilliant flash of golden light and suddenly Kel found herself standing before the Chamber of the Ordeal.

"**NOT FINISHED!" **

"_Wait, this is not my magic!"_

The Chamber doors opened to reveal the Nothing Man tinkering with the Killing Devices.

Forcing her anger away, Kel drew her glaive and struck the Nothing Man down. The Killing Devices disappeared and behind them stood Lavina glowing in her green magic...

Kel gasped and shot up in her bed. Her shoulder absolutely ached and she was sweating.

A baby cooed and Kel immediately honed in on the sound.

Joren stood at the foot of her bed, his face stonily cold. Their son was in his arms. Kai was giving her a gummy smile. Lavina stood next to her, her arms folded and her eyes narrowed. There was a moment of tense silence.

"I want to return to the fight with Scanra as soon as possible, Lavina. I don't care what influence of power or magic you use. Just do it." He commanded, completely ignoring Kel. Without another word, he left.

Lavina stood up.

"I shall inform Lord Burchard and Lady Citonia of your recovery. No doubt they will have some questions for you."

Then Lavina was gone.

Kel sank back into her bed, recalling her strange dream. Cleon's face came to mind but she pushed thoughts of him away. No doubt the dream had been created through Lavina's magic for some sort of cruel amusement or trickery. But what about the Chamber and the Nothing Man?

The end of the dream had felt different than the beginning. Was Lavina behind it all, or was there different magic at work?

What did it mean?


	17. The Questions

Disclaimer: I don't own Protector of the Small Quartet

Kel brought Kai unto the balcony that adjoined his room. It was nearing summer and the nights were cool and enjoyable. Smiling down, Kel gently pried her hair out of her son's grip. Kai was teething and anything within grasp was fair game to be gnawed at.

As she fingered her long tresses, Kel reflected that she had let her hair grow long. It was too long – the ends nearing the lower part of her back. As a knight serving the realm, she had always kept her hair cut short so that it could not get in her face or distract her. Since she had wed Joren and moved to Stone Mountain Manner, she had forgotten many things.

But the dream of Chamber of Ordeal had awaken something within her and she was beginning to remember and notice things.

The war with Scanra – what was happening? What of her comrades? She knew Cleon was dead, but what of the others? Why hadn't her family or friends come to see her? The King and Queen? What of Alanna the Lioness? She understood that Joren had been intercepting her letters, but surely even the strongest words wouldn't have kept her loved ones from coming to see her after the birth of her child. No one, aside from Joren's family had ever even seen Kai.

What of her animals? Where was her flock of sparrow? She wondered about the dog, Jump and her horses. Hoshi and Peachblossom – she missed them all and something was keeping her apart from them.

Kel's shoulder briefly flared in pain and she was forced to adjust her hold on Kai who was beginning to nod off.

It had nearly been two years since she had been forced into "retirement" and yet it felt like a life time.

The dream of the Chamber was now permanently etched into her mind. She thought of the Killing Devices and the Nothing Man. She had killed Blayce and the Killing Devices had fallen with him. But the Chamber said that she was not finished.

Kel started when she heard the now familiar, feminine laughter that belonged to Lavina. She watched dispassionately from the balcony as the blond woman came dancing out, pulling Joren along by the hand.

What did her dreams have to do with Lavina?

"Your, drunk." She giggled. Joren yanked his hand away.

"No. I am not." He told her in frustration.

Who was Lavina really? Most of her past information was missing. It was obvious that the woman had the gift. What exactly was her connection with Scanra and how did she fit in with the Nothing Man? It was clear that the woman had some sort of hidden agenda, but what exactly - Kel did not know.

The ex knight watched with something like ice pumping in her veins as Lavina leaned in and kissed Joren. For a moment, the handsome blond responded to the kiss before he regained his senses and pushed Lavina away. She laughed.

"I am not drunk! You will remove the barrier and send word to Corus. Make sure that your spies are made aware." He ordered. Lavina sneared.

"Made aware so they can what? Manipulate the Crown into summoning you back to the battlefield?" She mocked. Kel had to wonder at that. Did Lavina have some sort of influence over the King and what was this barrier that Joren spoke of? She held her breath in anticipation and watched as Joren unsheathed his sword and pointed the tip of it at Lavina's throat.

"You will remove the barrier and send them the message. I will return to the fight." He told her coldly. Lavina smiled and gently pushed the sword away and sauntered towards him.

"Your making this much more difficult than it needs to be. Your going against my plans." She told him as her hands splayed across his chest.

Kel felt a lump forming in her throat. Kai's head fell onto her shoulder, and she realized that he had fallen asleep. She really should go in and put him to bed. But something made her stay and watch the scene unfold between her husband and the blond woman.

"And your going against my will." Joren was saying. His hands encircled her wrists, but he did not push her away again.

Just as their lips touched a small stone was thrown at Lavina's head.

"Ouch! What was that?" She cried in annoyance. Both she and Joren looked up to the balcony, but no one was there. Shaking his head, Joren stepped away from Lavina.

"I will be returning to fight in the war against Scanra. I can do it as a knight, honorably called back in to battle. Or I can do it as a traitor that had been ordered to remain behind. It all depends on you. Either way – I will fight." He threatened.

Then he stormed off.

Lavina watched him go with narrowed eyes.

"Be careful, cousin. You are fighting on the wrong side." She whispered.


	18. The Revelation

Dislcaimer: I don't own Protector of the Small Quartet

"He's beautiful." Citonia commented. Kel sat on a low stool beside Citonia's higher chair at the formal dining area. Kai sat on a large red blanket on the floor.

"He'll be crawling soon." Kel murmured.

"You're encouraging poor habits. The little tot is of noble blood. As heir to the Stone Mountain legacy, he should sit at the table. He's not a dog. I must say, as a mother you're pathetic, Keledry." Lord Burchard pointed out from across the table. Kel fought the urge to roll her eyes. The man really wasn't worth her ire.

"He will stay where he is." She told him firmly.

"I have an announcement to make." Joren called suddenly from the opposite end of the table. On his right sat Lavina and on his left sat Ebroin. Everyone quieted.

"I have just received word from the king himself." Joren held up a scroll.

"The war continues. On the fourth night I am to report to the Vassa River Post." He told them coolly.

Lavina crossed her arms and scowled.

"So soon? You'll never make it there in time. They are putting you at an unfair disadvantage!" Lord Burchard sputtered.

Ebroin raised his glass in support.

"But your injuries! How do they expect you to fight with your leg!" Citonia exclaimed aghast, a hand over her heart.

Kel said nothing.

Joren held up a hand to silence them.

"I will leave on the morrow. Tonight we celebrate my return to the fight." He gestured to a servant who quickly came forward and refilled his coffer.

Kel reached down and picked up her son.

"Please excuse me." She spoke distantly and quickly left. No one noticed her departure except Lavina and Joren. The blond haired woman narrowed her eyes while Joren stared after with a frown on his face.

Kel quickly put Kai to bed and then went to retire herself. She was tired and haunted by some foreboding that she couldn't shake off; but sleep alluded her. As soon as she fell into bed Kel felt that something wasn't right.

She knew she was awake and yet she could not move or open her eyes. It was the Chamber's magic, she somehow knew.

_She stood before it, with it's doors open although it would not let her enter._

"_**Not finished!"**_ _It whispered and roared and sang all at once to her._

_Kel saw her family in Mindelan. Her mother and father were running away from their home. The roof was ablaze and from the smoke an army of Scanrans flooded the scene. Anders, Inness and Conal all stood in their knight's armor and prepared to fight; but they were vastly outnumbered and had no hope of winning. She saw her sister's weeping over their fallen husbands while the enemy came to carry them away._

_Kel saw Sir Roul and Buri and Lord Wyldon and Alanna standing cut off from Nealan, Merric, Esmond, Seaver, and Faleron by a wall of Killing Devices. They were all brave and good and they would all be struck down just like Fort Haven had been._

_Then she was at the palace. The enemy had infiltrated the grounds. Daine, Numair and Onua were in chains. Prince Roald and Princess Kalasin cried for their mother, but Queen Thayet never came. Peachblossom and Hoshi were stolen by the enemy and her sparrows were chased away. Jump, the dog sat in the court yard besides Domitan's bloody, discarded helmet. Tobeis was calling out for her. In the palace, King Johnathon sat on his throne, hollowly. His eyes were covered in scales and behind him Lavina stood with a shadowy puppet whispering into the king's ear._

_Lord Barchard and Lady Citonia crouched in the corner of Lavina's silhouette, and watched in fear as the king of Scanra, Maggur Rathhausak, came up and placed a hand on her shoulder._

"_Your master would be proud." Rathhausak told her. Lavina smiled and the shadow of Blayce the Gallen laughed behind them._

_Time sped up and the scenery changed. There was a grassy hill spotted with many graves. Kel did her best to shy away from reading the names on them. A single woman – Ermelian of Aminar – stood weeping over one. _

"_My poor husband." The woman cried and Kel saw that it was Cleon's name engraved on the stone. She was sickened by it and turned away._

_All around her, Tortall fell. A deep darkness consumed the land._

_Then Kel watched as Joren was captured by the Scanran's and brought to his knees before Lavina. _

"_I warned you and still you disobeyed my wishes and fought against me. You were always fighting with __**her **__weren't you?" She sneered at Joren who spat her feet. The ex knight shouted in silence as the blond drove a blade through him._

_Kel covered her eyes and begged for the Chamber's release but it still had one more thing to show her._

_Kai was two years old and was sitting on his mother's lap, waiting. Their captors would call for them soon. The boy looked up innocently at Kel._

"_Mommy, why do you hate Father so much?" He asked. Then the guard came and dragged her son away._

_The Chamber door closed._

Then Kel was sitting up in bed, gasping. Unintended tears flooded her eyes and escaped down her cheek. She wanted to wretch.

She couldn't let those visions become a reality! Reaching under her pillow, Kel grabbed her newly recovered belt knife and made her way to the door. She had to stall Joren. She had to stop Lavina. She had to save Tortall! She was still confused, but she knew that the Chamber had showed her those visions for a reason.

She feared that some of them may have already taken place. Cleon was already dead and Fort Haven had been under siege. What other terrible things had already come to past?

Just as Kel moved to take hold of the door's handle, it suddenly swung open to reveal a very drunk Joren.

Flashes of the last time he forced himself into her room came flooding into her mind.

"Looking for me?" He jeered and then pushed his way inside.


End file.
